Powerpoint Presentations

GP Out Of Hours

Have Your Say

We are continually looking at ways to improve our GP Out of Hours (OOH) services and accommodate the needs of our patients.

One of the ways in which we do this is to ensure that we are able to offer a range of different health care professionals within GP OOHs. By offering this range of professionals we are able to meet the different needs and demands of our patients. This year we have piloted a pharmacist prescriber working within OOH at weekends and Bank Holidays.. We would like to gather feedback from patients who have experience of using this pharmacy service.

Our Emergency Department video

The doctor responsible for Emergency Departments in The Southern Trust has made a short video reminding people that saving lives is the priority for everyone working in Emergency Departments. In the video, Seamus O’Reilly, Associate Medical Director for Emergency Medicine in The Southern Trust, speaks about how “people are fighting for their lives and we are fighting for their lives”.

GP Out of Hours - Fact or Fiction

GP Out of Hours Spring Update May 2015

Rapid Response service helps ease winter pressures

Our new Consultant led Rapid Response Service offering hospital at home care to older people helped avoid numerous hospital admissions during the busy January period. Between 1 – 21 January, it received 46 referrals from GPs, the Emergency Department and Acute wards in Craigavon Area Hospital for both patients in Nursing Homes and those living in their own home. Of the 28 GP referrals, the service ensured no ED attendance or admission to an acute setting was required.

During the period the service also facilitated the discharge of several patients from Craigavon Area Hospital ED and MAU. It managed 10 early discharges from wards in Craigavon Hospital and one from Lurgan hospital. The impact of the service has resulted in a total of 165 estimated bed days saved.

This Consultant Led Rapid Response Service is having a very positive impact having accepted 120 referrals since it was set up last October. A hospital admission can be traumatic and disruptive for anyone, but particularly for an older person. This service supports our older residents who are living with more complex needs and where possible avoids the need for an emergency hospital admission.